The Best Practices for creating a virtual Workforce

Successful companies learn fast to adapt and face difficult situations. One of the biggest issues in high tech today is attracting talent for your projects. There are thousands of highly successful companies out there competing for the same resources as you do. So as a small company how can you compete with the big boys? The answer my friend, is Virtual workforce.

What is a virtual workforce?

By definition a virtual team is created by gathering people from several geographical areas to work together on a project by using technology to overcome the problem of not being in the close proximity. Another term used for virtual teams is called distributed teams. Team members can work from home, or if there are several members in one city you can create a hub in that city so team members in that location can work together, but be connected to others in the team via high speed networks and collaboration software.

Hire the best wherever there are!

The neat thing about virtual team concept is that it frees you from the limitations of finding talent in one location and lets you hire the best people wherever they might be. Imaging trying to find real good software engineers in silicon valley? Not an easy job! How about if you can hire people in Europe, Israel and India working with your core group in Silicon valley? All of the sudden you can choose talent that best fits your needs.

Benefits of Virtual teams

As I have mentioned a few times already, virtual team concept gives you a much bigger pool of talent compared to that of being confined to one location only. Another benefits is the cost, by being able to hire people wherever they are, you get talent at the best price possible. Another benefits that is not so obvious but very beneficial is that you break the limitation of working 8 or 10 hours a day on your project. YOu can have your team work almost non stop on a project in rotations.

The Cost of virtual teams

As all good things in real world, there are costs associated with having virtual teams. The biggest issue is the lack of proximity and effective collaboration and team bounding. The good news is that with use of fast networks and good collaboration software you will be able to manage this issue effectively. Another issue is the language issues, but again English is becoming the preferred business language in the world and anybody who works in the high tech is required to be have a good working knowledge of the language. In addition the same collaboration tools I mentioned before can help to overcome or manage the language barriers.